This Child! - Duet, by Sindy & Anju

in Chrict Church, Nagercoil.
Christmas Campfire.

K C A choir

Conductor: Mr. GnanaSekhar Thompson
Accompanist: Mr. Jesu Daniel
Presenting

       1. Emmanuel is coming - Don Besig
       2. The Brazilian Christmas Carol - Benjamin Harlon
       3. Ye Happy Nations Round (from G.F. Handel's Alexander Balus)

Palakkad Fort 360degree

              Palakkad lies at the foothills of the Western ghats on the western side of the Palakkad gap. The Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta(330-380AD) mentions that they led an expedition to Palakkad in the Southern region, which is identified as Palakkad.
The date of the fort goes back to the medieval period. The fort was refurbished by Hyder Ali in 1766. Hyder Ali vastly improved the fortification considering the strategic position of the fort. Till 1790 the fort was continually in the hands of the Mysore Sultans or the British. In 1768, Colonel Wood captured the fort. But it was retaken by Hyder Ali a few months later. The fort was recaptured by Colonel Fullarton in 1783. The Zamorin of Calicut made some successive expedition attempts and temporarily occupied it. Later the place was under the control of Palghatcherry Sekharvarman, who ruled many of the feudatories of the Zamorin. In 1790 it was finally captured by the British East India Company by Colonel Stuart.

The fort built is of granite, rhomboidal on plan with walls of enormous thickness. The fort has seven bastions and a moat all around. The fort was entered through a single draw bridge. Inside the fort there are a few tiled buildings, granaries, a stepped well and a place of arms. This is an inland fortress suited to withstand artillery bombardment.
I've been fortunate to go walking around this fort so many times and click something!

The entrance - stone draw bridge

The moat

The stepped well

Aachi Sing The Season Grand Finale Nellai 2012

One fine evening I got a phone call from a friend, who asked me if I can accompany a choir. I quite hesitated because my exams were going on. But she was kinda nagging and so I thought why not give it a try?
So Pearlyn introduced me to the principal on the very next day!!!
I was given three songs and was asked to play. I somehow did it!
A couple more of days of practice and we were on the stage of Sing the Season 2012-Nellai, Grand Finale !
We performed and got the 'first runner up' in colleges category!
I still cant believe that we have competed with Lady Doak, Scott, Infant Jesus etc.
It was all because of His Grace which was upholding all of us throughout the process. I thank the Lord Almighty for strengthening me for accomplishing His marvelous plan!
 It was an awesome opportunity to make friends with my juniors. I'm happy to carry some wonderful memories along! Hope this gang never splits up.
Can't forget Pearlyn's help throughout.(man I will tell this everyday)
Thanks to our seniors and ADHOC Lecturers for coming over and cheering us up(whistles and howls)
check this out:

That day was made even more special by a giant surprize. Dad was having coffee outside the hall when the judge Mr.Wilfred Chelliah also joined. They had some words when dad told him that I accompanied the college that emerged first runners! He immediately recognized my touch on the keys and appreciated the way I played. Dad called me. I couldn't believe my eyes for a while. I pinched me and walked towards them.

I know I look wierd. But I'm gonna treasure this pic

I was in cloud 9 for sure! Finally I had a photograph with him. He shared that he was the choir master of the prestigious MCC choir for 30 years! A once in a lifetime oppurtunity for me!!

A blessed decade

    Ok, so this is a story that began in the late 90s(my childhood) and still going on!

I was a developing bathroom singer then(I didn't sound good). no doubt! The people outside should bear it ;) My parents pretty much didn't consider it at all until we moved to the BSNL staff quarters in Trivandrum. My job of bathroom singing continued... Now my parents were so concerned about our neighbours, that they decided to send me to vocal classes. I was too young, but I was taken in!
    On the first day of class, myself, like my fellow mates, took a position. The master gave me a (so called) song sheet! To me it only seemed like a spoon of noodles scattered on a sheet of paper  :( yes! it was in Malayalam they said. I listened to the master and just moved my lips. Later I was told thatthe sheets were full of Carnatic 'swaras'. A 5 year old wouldn't tolerate such things for sure. I came home and my mom eagerly asked to sing what I learnt. I could only cry showing her my song sheet. A few more of such classes went on. I was always excused because of my age!
    Then we moved to Nagercoil where I continued to be a bathroom singer. It was then i was forced to go to the church choir. It was damn  boring, but still I had to go. My precious weekend nap-time was ruined.  Then gradually I made friends in the choir and created some interest all by myself. Days went on interestingly and I would wait for the weekends(choir practice) to come.On the course I've even had thoughts like 'if only I had school on weekends and choir on weekdays'!!! Going late,getting same kind of dresses, getting punished(!), change of place for talking.........aah...enjoyed every bit of it.At one point of time I even started inviting people to join the choir. Yes! I was going crazy or mad i don't know :D
    I was singing treble all these days. Now we were practicing for a competition, the junior choir. The alto of the choir was sounding feeble. So, with the music knowledge I had, I was trying to boost her volume up by singing along with her. That was when the choir master said that I sounded good and "Why don't you try alto too" he added!! It was a shock for me. But that is how 'accidentally' I started singing alto. Being one of the youngest altos in the church choir gave a sense of pride. It was only after that i did vocal exercises all by myself and drew myself into the music world so deep. I started to enjoy music and singing. The aunties and paatties in the choir were proud of me!! Some were backbiting though :/
But music began to run in my veins. I started spending more and more time on music(both instrumental and vocal). At times I even didn't care about academics! Music was too much fun. Thankfully my parents were always supportive. What else should I need?  I thank God for this.
When I turn back, it's been a decade of choral singing!!!!!!!!which I couldn't have traded for anything better.
    Can't forget the memorable times we've had as a choir. Good times, travels, terrific fun times, practice sessions turned to chit chats and so on...........
And now I'm part of the Kanyakumari Choristers Association!!!
I've been fortunate to learn Western Classical music recently.
I'm so thankful to the Lord Almighty for His grace. I will continue to sing for the glory of God.

Moi lazy bum